Gaelic Games

Late Castlebar Mitchels revival seals ticket to Croke Park

Connacht champions defeat Crossmaglen following a sensational comeback

Castlebar Mitchels’ Stephen Keane with Paul McKeown (r) of Crossmaglen Rangers Photograph: Inpho/Tommy Grealy
Castlebar Mitchels’ Stephen Keane with Paul McKeown (r) of Crossmaglen Rangers Photograph: Inpho/Tommy Grealy
Sat Feb 13 2016 - 20:26

Castlebar Mitchels 0-13 Crossmaglen Rangers 0-12

Castlebar Mitchels will be back in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day after a two-year absence following a sensational comeback in a highly charged All-Ireland senior club semi-final at Kinsgspan Breffni Park, Cavan.

The game ended in a sideline melee with officials and players embroiled as injury-time ticked away, but ultimately the Ulster champions will look back on litany of missed chances in the first half.

The sides were level on five occasions in the second half before Barry Moran finally kicked Castlebar into the lead with three minutes remaining. Crossmaglen had the chance to force extra-time, but corner-back Paul Hughes was just off target.

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Trailing by three points at the break, Castlebar wiped the slate clean with three unanswered points within four minutes of the restart and it was game-on as Castleabr kept coming back in a match which saw two of their players black-carded.

Crossmaglen hit the ground running in the first half and had three points on the board from Stephen Kernan, Michael McNamee and Tony Kernan (free) before Neil Douglas got Castlebar off the mark on six minutes.

But the Ulster champions were dominant at midfield and had pulled five points clear at one stage. That could have been worse for the Connaught champions but for a goal-line save from Ray O’Malley, who denied John Murtagh a certain goal.

Two superb points for Paddy Durcan from play and three frees from Douglas kept Castlebar in the game as they trailed by three at the break - 0-8 to 0-5 - J amie Clarke popping two excellent points for Crossmaglen who should really have been further ahead.

Castlebar Mitchels: R Byrne, T Cunniffe, A Feeney, D Newcombe, P Durcan (0-3), E O'Reilly, R O'Malley, G McDonagh, B Moran (0-2), S Hopkins, N Lydon (0-1), S Keane, N Douglas (0-6, 6f), R Feeney, D Kirby (0-1).

Subs: F Durkan for S Hopkins (40), C Costello for N Lydon (45), J Durcan for S Keane (53) A Walsh for R Feeney (55), D Stenson for N Douglas (BC 61)

Crossmaglen: P Hearty, P Hughes, A Rushe, P McKeown, A Kernan, M Aherne, J Morgan, J Hanratty, O O'Neill (0-2,1f), M McNamee (0-1), S Kernan (0-2), T Kernan (0-3, 3f), J Clarke (0-3), K Carragher, C Cumiskey (0-1).

Sub: J Murtagh for K Carragher (6), S Finnegan for P McKeown (34 BC), P Stuttard for M McNamee (39), R Keely for J Murtagh (58).

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).